JenREES 10-14-18

Well, it’s been an interesting fall and I wish I had something more encouraging for our farmers this week…there have been some beautiful days/sunsets when the sun shone! Difficult with soybeans germinating in pods, popping pods, and the snow with so much harvest to go…hang in there and be safe when harvest resumes!

Regarding grain drying questions, Dr. Ken Hellevang at North Dakota State University has written several CropWatch articles at http://cropwatch.unl.edu to help us. Here’s a few excerpts.

For those with questions about drying soybeans when harvesting at high moisture to get them out of the field: “Soybeans at 11% moisture have storage characteristics similar to wheat or corn at about 13.5% moisture, so 16% moisture soybeans might be expected to store similarly to about 19% moisture corn. It is important to be able to aerate the soybeans to keep them cool.

The amount of natural air drying that will occur in late October and early November is limited. The equilibrium moisture content of soybeans for air at 40°F and 70% relative humidity is about 12%. With this air condition drying should occur with soybeans above 12% moisture. However, the drying rate will be slow at typical in-bin drying airflow rates. An airflow rate of 1 cubic foot per minute per bushel (cfm/bu) is expected to dry 18% moisture soybeans in about 60 days. With an airflow rate of 1.5 cfm/bu the drying time is reduced to about 40 days. The drying time for 16% moisture soybean is slightly less. The drying time of 16% moisture soybeans is about 50 days. Adding supplemental heat to raise the air temperature by 3 to 5 degrees will permit drying the soybeans to about 11% moisture in about 40 to 45 days. Increasing the airflow rate proportionally reduces the drying time.

The moisture-holding capacity of air is reduced at lower air temperatures. As average air temperatures approach 35°F, natural air drying becomes inefficient and is not economical. Adding heat would cause the beans on the bottom of the bin to be dried to a lower moisture content and it would increase drying speed only slightly. Cool the soybeans to between 20°F and 30°F for winter storage and complete drying in the spring. Start drying in the spring when outdoor temperatures are averaging about 40°F.”-Ken Hellevang NDSU. See more about drying soybeans with heat including considerations for fire risk at http://cropwatch.unl.edu.

Cooling Grain: “Cool grain with aeration to extend the allowable storage time and reduce the potential for insect infestation. Temperatures below about 60°F reduce insect reproduction. Insects are dormant below about 50°F, and extended exposure to temperatures below about 30°F can kill insects. Cooling grain as outdoor temperatures cool will reduce moisture migration and the condensation potential near the top of the grain pile. Also, the grain should be cooled because moisture content and temperature affect the rate of mold growth and grain deterioration. The allowable storage time approximately doubles with each 10-degree reduction in grain temperature.

Grain should be cooled whenever the average outdoor temperature is 10 to 15 degrees cooler than the grain. Cool it to near or below 30°F for winter storage in northern states and near or below 40°F in southern states. Aeration ducts need to have perforations sized and spaced correctly for air to enter and exit the ducts uniformly and to obtain the desired airflow through the grain. The maximum spacing for aeration ducts is equal to the grain depth to achieve acceptable airflow uniformity.”-Ken Hellevang NDSU. You can view Ken’s website at: https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/graindrying.

Weed Science School Oct. 31 near Mead will address current weed science issues and recommendations for improving herbicide applications. The school will be held at the Eastern Nebraska Research and Extension Center near Mead, starting at 8:45 a.m. and ending at 4 p.m. Topics include: overview of weed control in Nebraska, NDA procedure to investigate off-target dicamba injury, industry perspective on herbicide discovery, 15 years of researching waterhemp, forensic analysis for dicamba injury, ultra micro rates of dicamba on soybean, weed ID, cover crops and weed suppression, and what does/doesn’t work in managing herbicide drift. The school is free and CCA credits will be available. Please register here: https://agronomy.unl.edu/weedscienceschool.